


Within Reach

by ABearInASock



Category: Vis a Vis | Locked In (Spain TV)
Genre: F/F, Post-Canon Fix-It, this is soft asl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:13:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26475469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ABearInASock/pseuds/ABearInASock
Summary: Macarena just needs some sleep but it just won't come.
Relationships: Macarena Ferreiro/Zulema Zahir
Comments: 39
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I binged vis a vis all last week and I couldn’t get them outta my head so that’s how this was born sooo I hope you like it!

Macarena hated sleeping on the couch, especially when she couldn’t find a comfortable spot on this sad excuse of a cushion. Her back definitely isn't agreeing with these conditions. Huffing angrily at her position, she tossed and turned over and over around on the couch as a sharp pain kept on flaring at the bottom of her back, not letting her get a wink of sleep. That and the fucking insomnia had her by the throat and it looked like it wasn’t letting up any time soon. Usually, only one thing could help her sleep through the night, but that thing was on the roof of the van, smoking her heart out. 

Staring at the painted sky in the caravan, Macarena sighed, “Let me sleep just this once without you… “ 

She closed her eyes and sleep still didn’t come. 

“Fucking bitch!!” she yelled, sitting up abruptly and throwing the blanket off to the side. Her feet settling down on the van floor, as she clenched her hands. Why did she have this hold over her? Ever since that stupid incident at _El Oasis_ , Zulema had been on her mind way more than usual. Whether it was during her turn to go out for groceries, laid out n’ scrubbing the life out of the disgusting van floor, or even while she was curled atop on the van roof. She couldn’t escape her in Cruz del Sur, and now she couldn’t rid her out of her space and mind. Always a short distance away, at least 5 feet apart, unless one of them got angry enough to disappear for a couple of hours. 

Speaking of how close she knew _el elfo del inferno_ was, she struck the side of the wall with vengeance, hoping to lure her down from the roof. Fuck the consequences. Maca wanted to sleep, and that _hija de puta_ promised her only 5 more minutes outside. 

A moment later, the door burst open and slammed against the van wall, leaving the plants shaking in their lil pots. 

Zulema. 

She rapidly looked over the area of the van, and double-checked out the window before the scorpion narrowed her eyes at the blonde with little to no ill concern, “Why are you hitting the walls, _rubia.”_

“I can’t sleep...” Macarena grumbled as she sulked even further into the couch, hands uncurling from the tight fists she had formed, crescent moon shaped imprints showed off her frustration.

Footsteps sounded as Zulema inched closer and swiftly grabbed Macarena by the chin. 

“I told you I'd be down in 5 minutes, where is your patience.” She whispered, not moving a muscle as her gaze pierced into the blondes, who slumped forward into her hand as she stared into those deadly green eyes. Zulema softly caressed her cheek and grasped her by the back of the neck to lean even closer. 

“ _Vale, l_ et’s go to bed then _r_ _ubia_.” 

Macarena was roughly pushed towards the bed and fell over, hitting the mattress. The blanket was thrown in her face a second later. 

“Zule!”

Evil cackling was heard as Zulema got ready for bed, throwing off her jacket and boots, slipping into loose fitted clothing. 

Macarena looked restlessly at the decorated walls, the pantry, the pots and plants, the lights, and then back to Zulema. It seemed like her thoughts were consumed by her even while she was ever still present in the room. 

It was crazy now to think back to when they couldn’t stand the sight of each other while now they could tolerate one another on a good day at least. Macarena reminisced when she slept with one eye open just in case her teardrop tattooed pale-faced _hija de puta_ wouldn’t try to kill her in the middle of the night. If only the younger Maca knew of how she would stay longing for her touch after prison. That she was possibly the only person who could get her to have a well-rested sleep, or if she really wanted to label it, the only place— a person close enough to call her... home. 

Scrunching her face, Macarena sat back on her palms as she thought about it. 

Home. Zulema? Was she really the feeling of relief of coming back home after a tiring day of work? She did tell her that while washing her hair before the Mexican shootout, Maca and this van felt like the only real home she ever had but was that true? The hundreds of hours spent game planning heists, occupying each other's space, learning about each other from the inside out, and becoming even more accustomed to the others' habits. From barely knowing her favorite foods to the quiet mornings of Zulema setting out her favorite food, freshly made pancakes and coffee, even random apple slices would even appear at the side of the bed for Maca when she awoke, or going out of her way to let her sleep in and sacrifice her own rest time. Don’t even get her started on what Zulema would do on the bad days to subtly cheer her up.

They were like an old married couple that lived together in a van filled with keepsakes that reminded them of each other. 

Running a hand over her face as the realization suddenly slapped her– yes it was true. She couldn’t even sleep without her in eyesight, much less even live on the same planet without her. Zulema was like that pet you didn’t need nor ask for but grew to love after years of becoming used to their presence, like the flavorful seasoning on a bland chicken breast, or the skilled fingers that mastered an unplayable harp. 

She was home.

A soft look encroached Macarenas' face as she stared at Zulema, who was done brushing her teeth and rolling her eyes at the ruminating inner crisis currently going on in Maca’s mind. Spitting in the sink, she sauntered up to the mattress. 

“Move.”

Practically lunging towards her side on the bed, she spread her arms wide enough for her to crawl into. If Macarena didn’t get her sleep right now, she definitely wasn’t getting Zulema’s ultimate breakfast in a couple of hours. Which might not be happening anyway as the said woman was presently glaring at her. 

Confused as to why she isn’t being cuddled up on right now, she patted the bed, earning her a jab of a finger to the forehead. “ _Mierda_!.. what was that for?” 

“ _Muévete a la otra lado pinche rubia idiota_.”

Pouting, Macarena turned over and was immediately molded into the scorpion's front. Zulema hid her face into the back of her neck and locked her arms more securely around the blonde. Becoming a protective cocoon so Maca could sail the seven seas of her dreams. 

Exhaustion poured all over her like a fiery lava pit, digging deep into the pores of her skin and working its way to form a fuzzy warmth in her heart. A small aloof smile appeared on Maca’s face as she settled further into Zulema's embrace, sleep finally taking her. 

But. 

It was really Zulema who dragged sleep over at gunpoint. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. A Gift For a Scorpian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maca notices that Zulema has been off these past couple of weeks... so she got her a scorpion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my awesome friend Zo!! Who read over my caffeine filled writing and fixed sum things.

Tiny beady black eyes bored straight into her soul, expressionless. Macarena stared back with a small fear that it was going to lunge and crawl up her leg at any second. Squinting at the lil pest, she wouldn’t mind if it took over the caravan with its little claws, maybe then _el elfo del puto inferino_ would listen to a word she said. She didn’t understand Zulema’s obsession with these things either, they looked like mutated lobsters that traveled on land and gained the ability to poison. 

Leaning her elbows onto her knees, she pointed at the scorpion, “Ok... you stay there in your tiny brown box _y yo voy a cocinar para tu mamá, vale_?” 

The scorpion stayed poised, the tail still curled up atop its back as it stood still, blanklessly eyeballing her. Maca nodded, taking that as it’s agreement to stick around in the cardboard box. 

Standing up, she set to work making this special dish; which was going to be _arroz y tacos al pastor con un traguito de agua horchata_. This was for Zulema, a small gift to let her know that she was there, primed to help share the weight of whatever was bearing heavily onto her shoulders. A reminder that Macarena was not going to let her off as easily as those times in the past, not without fighting tooth and nail to present herself up to her in any way that she could be needed. So, surprising her with the scorpion was the greatest on the scale of what she could offer, plus with the dinner she was cooking up, it was going to be one hell of a surprise. 

Speaking of that poisonous lil claws, it took an enormous amount of effort to catch on her part. Macarena had found it nestled atop a rock near the lakebed as if by some sort of coincidence had occurred since Zulema was currently by the edge of the water staring out into the bleak waves. She understood that it was the universe’s sign to be given to her own scorpion. It ran Maca through hoops and hurdles trying to catch the slippery thing, always just out of reach before she could grasp the tail, but with a little effort and a blanket, she took it back the van triumphantly. Even with all that commotion, Zulema did not spare a look at her at all, probably thinking she was doing a crazy ritual from the fitness DVDs she bought. 

Rhythmically circling her wrist, she mixed the _agua horchata_ and slid ice cubes down into the pitcher before setting it aside on the table. She moved onto the rice pan that was cooking and checked to see if the white had browned a bit before adding the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Next, she dumped some _masa_ onto the counter and got her hands to work making the _tortilla_ shapes to be put on the burner. As she kneaded into the _masa_ , she thought back over the last couple of days. 

Zulema had been weirder than usual around her, for some reason she could not figure out. Nothing she could think of would come to mind of what was upsetting her because Macarena already went down the list of what could be wrong but none of them checked out. The apples were stocked on the counter next to the plants, and she knew it wasn’t her daughter's death anniversary, nor her birthday either. The Moorish queen had a routine that she had been taking up for the past two weeks, which was going out all morning and coming back in the late afternoons. That wasn’t suspicious but the messy clothes, tousled hair, and the red marks on her arms said differently. She’d have dinner and engage in small talk as she normally would, teasing Macarena’s about her squirrel sounds she made while sleeping, or random stuff like if she got any apples during her turn doing the grocery run. After that, she’d climb up onto the roof of the van to smoke her cigarette before finally curling up around her for the rest of the night. The blonde would feel the cold once she awoke, only to be quickly soothed by the smell of the coffee machine brewing each morning since then. 

This was not typical of Zulema. Macarena wanted to get to the bottom of it but she didn’t want to pry into it too quickly because she knew that _hija de puta_ like the back of her hand, _gemelas_ as Altagracia said so she understood that if she got caught snooping into her business, it would end in an explosive argument with the inevitable end result being the scorpion's fingers around her throat. That’s why she was putting in all her effort into preparing this dinner for her, especially since Maca normally didn’t cook the meals. Zulema was always the one making food for the both of them, so hopefully, with this surprising gesture and by the lil claw man in the box she was going to give her, it would help ease off the closed off-ness to open up about whatever was bothering her, and not get her ass kicked out the bed for the week. 

Shuffling about in their tiny van, she happily punched her fists in the air as the _tortilla’s_ cooked on the burner. It was a good investment to buy a burner, a real lifesaver to aid in times of need like this. Smiling, she recalled when Zulema firmly said they didn’t need it or as she said, “That piece of shit will burn our van down if you get your hands on it, _rubia_.” But evidently, her persistence won out and it did help during the long winters and windy nights. It was better than having to freeze her ass off using the grill in the dead of night. 

Zulema took advantage of being able to use the burner for night snacks, she even burned fingers the first time it was installed, which she nonstop reminded Maca every time that she should be happy they didn’t all burn off. 

Turning off the burner, she loaded all the food onto a platter and put the finished meal on the table top, she got a glass ready to pour the pitcher of _agua horchata_ in, when the door slammed open. 

“¡ _Puta madre_!” The pitcher of agua horchata spilled over her hands, leaving a puddle of sugary goodness on the floor. Maca looked at the spilled drink and looked up at the culprit with disbelief, “¡¿ _Que coño haces_?! ¿¿ _No tienes una voz para decir que vas a entrar_??” 

A slight smirk appeared in the face of the _hija de puta_ as she leaned against the doorframe, hands tucked into the pockets of her red and blue sweater. Swiping her tongue across her teeth, she shrugged, ” _Lo siento rubia pero_ how was I supposed to know you were making an off-brand Taco Bell special??” Crossing her boots over the other, she looked around the space of the van before continuing, ”Why are you even making all of this? You don’t cook.” 

An offended look crossed Macas face, as she kneeled down to the van floor to start cleaning the mess up with napkins. “I cook!” 

Zulema scuffs, “Yea, your cooking involves ordering takeout or ramen noodles.” Walking over to ‘help’ the blonde with the mess, making sure to snatch the pitcher to pour the remainder of the _agua horchata_ in a cup. Sitting back on her heels, she spotted the tiny cardboard box set on top of the bed, narrowing her eyes. That was suspicious. “¿ _Qué es eso_?” 

“¿ _Que es que_?” Maca grumbled as she was still scrubbing the life outta the floor to get rid of the liquid, not registering Zulema’s question. 

“The box that is taking up space in our bed, _rubia_.” 

She paused. Oh. That.

Staggering up to her feet quickly, she blocked her view of the box. “Nothing! Get some of the food before it gets cold and don’t eat all the _tortillas_ this time, _pinche gorda_. ” Crossing her arms, she nodded towards the platter on the table, not wavering from Zulema’s searching gaze. 

Zulema shakes her head, making a tsk as she takes a step towards her, taking a sip from the _agua horchata_ . “ _Rubia_ , you know better than to lie to me, what’s in the box?” 

“I said-”

Zulema’s right up in her face now, an intense look in her eye. Pursing her lips, “ _Vale_ ,” she motioned toward the cup of _agua horchata_ in her hand towards her. “¿ _Quieres_?” 

Confused, Maca dumbly moved to grab the cup when she was pushed off balance into the side of the dresser. “ _¡Coño!_ ” 

Zulema peered into the cardboard. 

She bent down to get a better look at the scorpion in the box. Her unoccupied hand reached down and picked it up by the tip of the tail. She looked at it then at Maca, before carefully putting the creature back in the container, an unreadable expression on her face. Thinking she overstepped, Maca edged back nervously as Zulema started getting closer. 

“Zule-“

The scorpion pulled her into a bruising hold, grasping the back of her neck into the nook of her sweater. Maca crumbled into her, feeling the stress drip off her instantly, hearing Zulema mumble, " _Idiota_ , you got me a scorpion?” 

Hiding her grin, she snaked her hands inside the sweater to wrap around her. “I... wanted to cheer you up?” 

Maca felt lips press softly on the top of her head, eyes glistening at the obvious display of affection, and buried herself deeper into Zulema, enjoying the moment. These tender moments were often rare during the early days of their relationship but seeing that they’ve gotten past that and gotten even closer because they realized that those things didn’t matter anymore. Not when they’ve seen each other at their worst, and especially when they could be taken from one another at a moment's notice. Life was fleeting ‘n fast and they both knew who they wanted to spend all of it with, not that they would ever admit it out loud.

Letting out a content hum, Zulema scratched the nape of her neck, before pushing her away gently towards the table of food. ” _Vamanos_ , once we eat I’ll tell you where I sneak off to.”

Maca darted forward and snatched the cup of agua horchata from her hand as she ran to the table, calling out behind her. “ _Vale_! The last one to finish eating gets to be the little spoon!” 

An amused twinkle danced in her eye at Maca’s antics, leisurely taking her time to move from the box. Kneeling down, she lightly placed the scorpion onto her forearm with a mischievous grin as she peaked over at Maca. 

Her _rubia_ wouldn’t know what hit her when she told her the reason she was so distant was because she had stashed a whole crate of baby scorpions a little ways away from the van. 

Oops? 

Zulema would let her revel in her victory a little longer before she told her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y’all enjoyed it! :)


End file.
